Resilient pedal pad



Feb. 8, 1938. w. J. LUTEY 2,107,486

` RESILIENT PEDAL PAD Filed Aug. '7, 1937 l'//////////f///////J l lATTORNEY Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationAugust 7,

Claims.

This invention relates to pedal pads in general, and in particular topedal pads for the foot levers of automotive vehicles that provide aresilient non-slip surface for the feet of the driv- 5 ers.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a base frameof hard material, that preferably is light and strong and provides amedial window-like opening, upon which a strip of pliable material iswound in figure 8 loops that pass around the side portions of the base,and through the medial openings with a half turn to permit theencircling loops to t snugly together, and means for adjustably securingthe pad thus formed to the pedal.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of the kinddescribed, in which the novel disposition of the pliable materialgreatly increases its effective resiliency and non-slip features, yetpermit its replacement easily and quickly when worn.

Another object is to provide an article of the kind described, that maybe readily and adjustably secured to a large number of different sizepedals.

A further object is to provide an article of the kind described, that islight in weight yet strong, and that is cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in theart from the following detailed descrip-tion of a preferred form of theinvention, which consists of certain parts in cooperative combination,hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, andembraced in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the pad of my invention secured to a pedal bymeans of U-bolts and socket nuts.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a fragmentary portion of the base framedetached from the pedal, showing the beginning of the winding operation.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2, but shows clearly the half turn twist putin the pliable strip between the second and third bends around the sideportions of the frame.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on broken line 4--4 ofFig. l.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional 50 elevation of the padremoved from the pedal,

taken on broken line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Like vreference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout thedrawing, wherein the part 6 is a. preferred form of base frame that lmaybe made of any hard strong material such 1937, Serial No. 157,905

(Cl. 'M -563) as Bakelite or Masonite, both of which are well known fortheir characteristic properties. Said base frame preferably provides twowindow-like openings Ea and Sa, which divide the frame structure intotwo wide side portions 6b and S'b that are joined by end portions 6c and6c, and by a mid portion 5d.

The purpose of said mid portion is to reinforce the end portions,thereby providing additional strength without increasing the distancebetween the ends of the wear surface and corresponding ends of the baseframe.

A plurality of counter-sunk holes I may be provided in said base frameto receive socket nuts 8 adapted to screw onto the threaded ends ofU-bolts 9, which serve to removably secure the pad as a whole to pedalI0, as shown clearly in Fig. 4.

The resilient non-slip wear surface of the pad preferably is formed byinterlacing a strip of multiple layer rubberized fabric material l Iwith the base frame, and providing means for anchoring the ends of theinterlaced strip.

Strips cut from the casings of old automotive Vehicle tires have beenfound to be both inexpensive and ideal for this purpose.

I have solved the troublesome anchoring problem by providing a notch IInnear each end of said strip adapted to engage with an end portion of thebase frame.

The start of the interlacing or winding operation is illustrated in Fig.2 of the drawing. Notch I in is first engaged with end portion Gc andheld there -while strip EI is bent firmly around side portion 5b; nextwhile holding both the loop thus -made and the notched end in position,the strip is passed through opening 6a, twisted a half turn about itslongitudinal axis in said opening in the direction indicated by thecurved arrow line, and bent firmly around side portion Gb; then whileholding this second loop and the notched end in position, the free endof the strip is again passed through opening 8a, twisted a half turn inthe direction indicated by the curved arrow line in the opening, andagain bent rmly around side portion 6b, as illustrated clearly in Fig.3; after which the aforesaid passing, twisting and bending operationsare continued until the interlacing or winding operation is completed bypassing the notched end of strip I I through opening Ea to form the lastloop; finally the twisted and crossed portions of said strip in opening6a are forced away from end portion 5c by a suitable tool, the stripbent firmly around side portion Bb, and the notch near the end of thestrip made to engage said end portion; and lastly the aforesaid tool isremoved. In this way I make use of the resiliency of the material tohold the notched ends of strip Il in engagement with end portions 6c andGc, respectively, of the base frame.

The thickness, width and length of the resilient strip between notchesare made such, that when the simple Winding operation described iscompleted, both openings 6a and 6b will be snugly lled with the severaltwisted portions of the strip, notches lln will engage with the endportions of the frame, and the several loops about the side portionsthereof will lie lclosely together, as illustrated in Fig. l.

Referring to Fig. 4, it Will be seen that the previously describedwinding operation produces a succession of iigure 8s iirmly interlacedwith the base frame. By means of the twist in the resilient strip, thecrossing portions of the strip in the base frame openings nest evenlyand closely together, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, which also illustratesthe efiective means employe-d to anchor the ends of the strip.

The half-turn twists in strip Il cause the edge corners of successiveturns to be raised, as illustrat'ed in Figs. l and 4. These incombination with the plurality of turns greatly increase the non-slipfeatures of the pad, even when the drivers shoes are covered with mud orsnow.

The small space between the loops of strip Il and base frame 6 enhancethe natural resiliency of the strip material thereby imparting to thepedal pad an outstandingly pleasant feeling to the feet of the driver.

When the tread becomes worn, the old strip may be easily and quicklyremoved and a new strip of pliable material wound upon the base frame aspreviously described.

The counter-sunk holes l,l preferably are so arranged that they will beat the ends of the pliable strip winding, or opposite the intervalsbetween successive turns, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The pliable materialthen may be readily forced to one side sufnciently to permit the use ofa screw driver to tighten socket nuts 8.

By providing a plurality of such holes the pad may be secured to pedalsof various sizes and in several ydesirable offset positions, one ofwhich is shown in Fig. 4. It will be apparent that when nuts 8 aretightened upon the U-bolts, the pliable, non-slip, rubberized materialis compressed between the pedal and base frame of the pad, thus holdingthe pad firmly in position.

In View of the foregoing description of a preferred form of myinvention, it will be seen that my pedal pad is relatively light inweight, and

. is made of inexpensive materials, hence is cheap to manufacture.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the essentialcoacting elements may be constructed and combined in various otherequivalent forms, and from other materials and for other uses, withoutdeparting from the purpose and intent of the invention within the scopeof the appended claims.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent isz- l. A pedal pad comprising a base frameproviding a windowlike opening, and a strip of pliable material woundupon said frame in a plurality `of figure 8 loops to form a treadsurface.

2. A pedal pad comprising a base frame providing a window-like opening,and a strip of pliable material wound upon said frame and through saidopening in a plurality of ligure 8 loops, each with a partial turn insaid opening.

3. A pedal pad comprising a base frame providing side and end portionsand a medial opening, a strip of pliable material wound in a pluralityof figure 8 loops yeach passing around said side portions and throughsai-d medial opening with a partial turn to permit said loops to fitsnugly together to form a tread surface, and means for anchoring theends of said strip.

4. In combination with a pedal, a pad comprising a base frame providinga medial opening, a strip of pliable material wound upon said frame andthrough said opening in a plurality of gure 8 loops each with a halfturn in said opening, and means for securing said pad to said pedal.

5. In combination with a pedal, a pad comprising a base frame providingside and end portions and a medial opening, a strip of pliable materialwound upon said frame in a plurality of figure 8 loops'each passingaround said side portions with a half turn in said opening, means foranchoring an end of said strip to an end portion of said frame, andmeans for adjustably securing said pad to said pedal.

WILLIAM J. LUTEY.

